Thirty Months

Two and a half is that awkward age. You're not quite two, and you're not quite three. You want to hold onto that innocence of two but are eager for the freedoms that come with three. Freedoms like depositing your poop into a toilet instead of dragging it around with you in a diaper. Can you smell it, Jack? No, not the poop, Jack. The freedom. Three. It's just around the corner.


I am stunned by all the changes we've seen in you since you turned two. At two, so many things were still a challenge to you and your lack of mastery of certain tasks would drive you to the brink of insanity. You wanted to be able to put the shapes in the shape sorter, but your hands and eyes just couldn't make it come together. You would scream and throw the sorter and flail yourself around the room until you were exhausted with frustration. Now you do that for an assortment of other reasons, but you've mastered those shapes. You showed that oval who was boss. You won't be taking any more crap from that hexagon. Two and a half has brought you so much more control over your world that you seem to relish the chance to practice your burgeoning skills each day.


You continue to be wholly consumed by trucks, much to my chagrin. I have tried, tried, tried to get you interested in other things: dinosaurs, animals, dragons, rocket ships, The Rock of Love Season Two. But you will not stop with the trucks. I suppose I should just resign myself to this reality, particularly since each time we plan to go to someone's house, you quickly run down the list of trucks each house has. When you haven't been somewhere, you are fast to ask which trucks they may have.


As you get older and your love of trucks begins to fade from your memory (oh, I pray), I want you to know about this very special time in our family's life. Since your brother was born, your dad has taken time off work to be home with us for eight months. You aren't likely to remember this when you are older, and that is such a shame because you are having the most wonderful time of your life right now, I believe. Every single day, your dad has been here to play trains in the morning and wrestle with you at night. He's taken you to all sorts of places and shown such love and joy just having the chance to be with you. It takes a pretty special man to walk a different path in life and live a life that shows his values not just through words but action. As you grow older, I hope you can be that same kind of man, Jack.

Love,
Your Momma